DreamBox Learning Partners with Computers for Youth to Help Young Children Excel at Math

BELLEVUE, WA and New York, NY, Sept 23, 2009 — DreamBox Learning, Inc., an award-winning educational software company, and Computers for Youth (CFY), a non-profit organization that helps low-income children do better in school by improving their learning environment at home, have entered into a partnership to provide free access for a full year to DreamBox Learning K-2 Math, an innovative math learning game designed for children in grades K-2. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math will be available to the younger siblings of middle school students involved in CFY’s “Take IT Home” program. More than 4,000 participating families in more than 30 CFY schools located in New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles will be eligible to take advantage of this opportunity.

The CFY “Take IT Home” program works directly with high-poverty middle schools to provide families with free home learning centers consisting of refurbished computers loaded with educational software, along with hands-on computer training and guidance about cost-effective local Internet options. Now, thanks to DreamBox Learning, CFY will also provide families with orientation and sign-up instructions for a free one-year subscription to DreamBox Learning K-2 Math, enabling the families’ 4-8 year old children to embark on exciting — and effective — math adventures.

“We have a lot of respect for Computers for Youth because like us, they are focused on the importance of technology in education and the powerful impact it can have on helping kids succeed academically,” said Lou Gray, Co-Founder and CEO of DreamBox Learning. “We’re honored to team up with this great organization and expand its reach beyond middle school to begin bridging the achievement gap for kids as early as kindergarten.”

“In order to improve the home learning environment, it’s critical to engage the entire family with quality education-based technology, including younger children,” said Elisabeth Stock, CEO of Computers for Youth. “We chose DreamBox Learning K-2 Math as a partner because of its unique ability to engage children by making math learning fun, while effectively targeting children’s academic needs and building on their strengths. Kids are going to really enjoy playing with the product as part of their family’s involvement in the ‘Take IT Home’ program, which is a big win for everyone.”

About DreamBox Learning K-2 Math

DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is an award-winning, online math program providing individualized instruction for kids in kindergarten through second grade. The program’s lesson content is based on national math curriculum standards and is presented through fun, adventure-based stories designed to keep kids engaged and excited about learning math. DreamBox is currently being used in schools throughout the U.S. and Canada, and usage studies have shown that the product improves kids’ math comprehension and achievement scores. To date, DreamBox Learning K-2 Math has received the prestigious 2009 Golden Lamp Award for Technology and Innovation as well as the 2009 Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers; Children’s Software Review Editor’s Choice Award; and numerous other awards and five-star reviews.

DreamBox Learning was founded in 2006 in Bellevue, Washington by world-class technologists, educators, interactive entertainment experts, and entrepreneurs who share a collective vision that every student should have access to an individually tailored, web-based learning experience that is world-class, engaging, motivating, and effective. Backed by $7.1 million in angel funding, the company developed a web-based platform for creating effective and individualized online learning products, and launched its first adventure-themed product called DreamBox Learning K-2 Math in early 2009. With both school and home versions, the award-winning product targets young students in kindergarten through second grade, and is designed to reinforce and teach real math through effective, individualized instruction in an engaging and fun manner. DreamBox Learning K-2 Math is based on NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) curriculum recommendations, reflecting lessons taught in the classroom. More information can be found at http://www.dreambox.com.

Computers for Youth helps low-income children do better in school by improving their learning environment at home. CFY’s signature program selects high-poverty middle schools and then offers all sixth-grade families both a home computer loaded with educational software and training designed to help parents become more effective learning partners. Studies confirm that CFY’s programs have significantly improved students’ test scores and class effort and have increased parents’ confidence and involvement. Since beginning operations in 1999, CFY has reached more than 39,000 students and parents from more than 50 schools in New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. CFY is building a national “home learning environment” sector, including extending its affiliate network to all 50 U.S. states and working to influence national education policy. For more information, please visit http://www.cfy.org.

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools enrolled Dreambox this year across our elementary schools. We continue to hear very positive reviews from students, teachers and parents during its initial year in our district.

Charles Nusinov, ED of Learning and Teaching

Whenever my students have some free class time, they pick up DreamBox on their iPads and do a lesson. That's definitely going to add up to a whole lot of new math learning by the end of the year!